April 11, 2012

Book: Whited Sepulchers by Anne Perry

Another good book by Anne Perry. For those of you who love the Victorian setting and the lifestyle in those times, like all of her other books, this one too has an abundance of the ambience created. For other books reviewed in this Blog by Anne Perry, click here. )

The story is very gripping too. Sir Oliver Rathbone is approached by the brilliant architect Killian Melville to defend him in a breach of promise case by his employer Barton Lambert, he refuses to take the case as there is no valid reason why the situation cannot be explained away, and Killian seems to be wilfully heading into a case that could ruin his reputation and cost him his entire budding career for reasons that he would not explain to Rathbone. But in a moment of weakness, he changes his mind and agrees to represent him, to his later regret.

The case seems hopeless and is made worse by the sneering and obnoxious attorney for the Lamberts, Sachavarall. In desperation, he enlists Monk to discover what the hidden reason for Killian’s refusal is. The case seems hopelessly doomed to end in defeat for Rathbone and frustration for Monk, when the unexpected happens…

It is a very well told story, and one of the major denouements happen right about the middle of the story. The side story of Heather Latterly and her assignment to look after a disfigured soldier who returned from India and his young wife trying to come to terms with their lives changed for ever, the search of the missing, disfigured twins born to her sister by the housekeeper of that house etc are all twined into the main story skillfully.

It has the explosive twist that comes with the better stories of Anne Perry. It is sure to delight mystery fans, fond of an upgraded Agatha Christie like mystery…